It's cold out there

Much colder today, and when we finally got out and visited the Historic Downtown area of Charlottesville (The Mall, at least, didn't seem particularly historic), we came across this couple. The man said he was homeless - the dog's expression seems to express their situation better than the man's. It certainly looked miserably cold there on the pavement.

Headed out towards Monticello again, intending to visit another Presidential home, Ash Lawn-Highland, but got seduced into lunching at the Michie Tavern on the way up the hill. Pretty good Southern fare, and the building itself and outbuildings were fascinating - particularly since it was moved, brick by numbered brick (and timber), from some distance away.

We had seen that "12 years a slave" was on downtown, and went to the 5 pm show. We knew it would be gruelling, and it was - and a chilling reminder of some of the horrors inflicted in and around those beautiful plantation homes. A very powerful, excellent film.